As the editor for guitar reviews, I’ve found that the Fender Player II model offers unbeatable value as a Telecaster, yet it’s priced $190 lower, featuring an exclusive finish.]

Update: This deal has now sold out. But the good news is the Player II Tele deal below is currently available and is currently the cheapest I’ve found.

I’m not sure how controversial it is to say this, but I think Fender might have created a problem with its Player II Series Telecaster – especially in the Black Friday guitar deals. I’ve found them to be so good for the money, I wonder if many players will think it’s worth paying more for the company’s more expensive models. Now I’ve seen one with $252 off at Fender.com and I honestly can’t believe it.

A $50 discount I could understand, but $190 is huge for a Player II Fender – and in an exclusive, classy Forest Green finish, third-party guitar retailers can’t stock? Even more incredible.

The rosewood fingerboard with rolled edges is a huge upgrade from the Player line, giving the Player II Tele neck an incredibly smooth and tactile feel. The ClassicGear tuners are the other big upgrade for me – as found on much more expensive US models.

The pair of Alnico 5 pickups surprised me as someone who is big on upgrading their Ensenada Fender models – I’m not sure I’d bother paying extra to swap them out as Fender’s stock models are so usable, especially with my own rig where stacked overdrive pedals are a central part.